Automatic upsetting mechanism for combination locks



Aug. 28, 1934.v s. rLHoPE ET AL 1,971,936

AUTOMATIC UPSETTING MECHANISM FOR COMBINATION LOCKS Filed March 9, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet l 14' Z o g5 3" 14/ [/12 f2 Aug. 28, 1934- s. N. HOPE Er AL 1,971,936

AUTOMATIC UPSETTING MECHANISM FOR COMBINATION LOCKS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 9, 1952 Patented Aug. 28, 1934 UNITED v.5T,aglgfg PATENT oFFglcE Samuel N. Hope, '.Wauwatosa, and Paul F. Drath, West Allis, Wis., 'assignors to Dudley Lock Corporation, Chicago, lll.,

a corporation of Illinois Application March 9, 1932,'Seral No. 597,738

9 Claims.

This invention is concerned with a keyless type of lock suitable for a variety of uses, but illustrated as designed for application to the door of a steel locker or the like. The invention re-- lates particularly to features Vvof the mechanism by which lthe tumbler disks which are set in a certain arrangement to release the bolt Will be automatically shifted from that setting by the return or the -bolt to its locking position, and it is an object of the invention to ensure a substantial shifting of each tumbler as well' as of the external indicating means, such as theusual knob and dial. The invention includes certain other fea-tures which Awill appear as the description proceeds, and it Vconsists in these various features and elements in combination as shown in the drawings and hereinafter described, and as indicated `by the claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a pian view showing the interior of the casing with the tumbler combination removed, but showing the bolto the lock and the resetting pawl lfor the tumbler mechanism.

Figure 2is a plan View similar fto Figure 1, showing the lsame parts with the addition of Aone of the tumbler spacers.

Figure 3 is a -plan view similar to Figure 1 4but on a larger scale vwith certain parts in section, and showing both the bolt and the tumbler :combination, the bolt being depicted in retracted 4or unlocked position.

Figure 4 is a face view of the lock with .the casi-ng closed, and showing the operating .-knob, but omitting the dial and escutcheon plate.

Figure 5 is a transverse section of 'the completely Vassembled lock being vtaken at the planeA indicated at line 5-5 on Figure 2.

Figure 6 is also a transverse section of the complete lock assembly, being taken as indicated at line 6-6 on Figure 2.

Figure 'l is a perspective viewof the bolt itself showing `the laminated construction thereof.

Figure '8 is a perspective View of the tumbler resetting pawl `pivotally mounted on its actuating arm.

Figure 9 is a fragmentary view of a locker door and the cooperating frame member, with a lock embodying this invention installed thereon.

Figure 1G is a detail section taken as 4indicated at line 10-10 on Figure 9.

This invention is shown as applied tothe type of lock in which the bolt is pivotally mounted for swinging into and out of locking position, and Figures 9 and 1) show such a lock vassociated with the locking bar of a door, lso'that the locking .bar directly :serves as .the yactual securing 4 means :for the door, whereas the .bolt of vthe lock itself is employed merely as a .check to hold the locking bar in locking position. In such Van arrangement the bolt is moved to its retracted position, not .by the actuation of any other part of the lock proper but by :actuation of .the locking bar `which the bolt engages. The present invention, which relates primarily to the upsetting `or resetting of the tumblers yof a combination is applicable, however, to a wide range of lock structuresy and is not necessarily limited Ato .one employing this particular form -of bolt.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 Yshows a rectangular casing, 1, with its cover .plate removed and with most of the elements of the mechanism removed 'but leaving a bolt member, 2, pivoted upon a stud or post, 3, and 'projecting through a rectangular aperture, 4, in the side wallor ange of the casing, l. As indicated in Figure 3,'the swing of the bolt member upon said pivot, 3 causes its 4straight .lower face, 2e; to move yupwardly in the slot, 4, so as to permit thisamount of movement of any element which vengages or abuts Asaid face, 2a. To'provide for :such svvingv ing movement the ,other .exposed face, 2b, `01E the bolt member, is arcuate in form and y.substantially concentric with :respect to the post, :3. A spring, 5, kwhich may Abe wrapped .for ycoiled .about the post, 3, with one end'fbearing against a .flange of thecasing, and .with the other end bearing Aagainst the inner faceof the bolt, 2, normally urges the bolt into the locking position .at which it isseen in Figure 1. 'At about the center of the casing,

Y 1, there is provided an upstanding stud, f6, upon which the tumbler disksare journaled, and a stiffening web, A2, of thebolt member .is formed with an yarcuate slot, 2d, lthrough which said stud, 6, extends without interfering with the swing of the bolt.

The bolt member, 2, includes the web, 2, as a part of the outer plate at one .'side, while at the opposite side an outer plate, 2e, is formed with an oset portion to provide'increased width for the bolt on `its fulcrum post, 3. The 'projecting nose portion of Vthe bolt is built up with laminations, 2f, and the portion within the casing includes some additional laminations, 2g. Several of these layers withinthe casing include upstanding teeth, '7, which are arranged in alignment with each other to form the pawl of the bolt which controls it by cooperating with the notched tumbler disks of the combination lock.

vThe tumbler disks are shown as three in number, arranged in super-irriposed Arelat-iornas seen at 8, 9 and 10 in Figure 5. Each disk is freely rotatable upon the central stud, 6, and each of them has a single radially disposed notch in its periphery such as the notch, 10a, of the disk, l0, which is seen in Figure 3. These notches, when arranged in alignment, are dimensioned to receive the paWl, '7, so as to permit the swing of the bolt to unlocking position in which it appears in Figure 3.

As is customary inA locks of this type, an externally projecting operating knob, 11, is provided with means by which it isoperatively connected with the upper or outer tumbler disk, 10. This means may include an upstanding lug, 10b, on the disk engaging with aV recess, not'shown, in the inner end of the knob member l1. The disk, 10, is formed with another lug, 10, projecting toward the next disk, 9, for engagement with a similar lug on the opposed face of the disk, 9. Likewise, the disks, S and 9, are arranged for inter-engagement so that by a series of rotary or angular adjustments of the knob, 11, the three disks may be set with their radial notchesk in alignment and in position to admit the pawl, '7. Until such alignment of the notches is effected the periphery of any one of the disks, 8, 9 or 10, will block movement of the bolt to its unlocking position by engaging the pawl or tooth, 7, in the initial portion of an attempted swing of the bolt.

Since a slight movement of the bolt can be effected before the tumbler disks are positioned in predetermined arrangement which releases the bolt for its full swing, and since by a series of such movements the pawl or tooth, 7, might be pressed against the peripheries of the disk for determining the location of their aforesaid notches and learning the combination, it is customary to make at least one of the tumbler disks, and preferably the one which is directly connected with the adjusting knob, 11, with a plurality of shallow notches, sometimes called false notches, such as those shown at ldin Figure 3. These false notches are spaced at regular intervals around the entire circumference of the disk so as to lock the latter against rotation whenever the tooth, 7, is pressed into one of them, and thus render itexceedingly difcult to determine the position of the true or operative notch, 10a, and the similar notches of the other tumblers. In the present construction all three of the tumbler disks, 8, 9 and 10, are preferably formed with these false notches which serve an additional purpose. They serve vasratchet teeth for the resetting or upsetting device about to be described.

As seen in Figurer 1, the plate portion, 2c, of the bolt, 2, carries a lug, 2k, which encounters the tail-piece, 12a, of an actuator plate, 12, fulcrumed on the central post, 6, in a plane adjacent that in which the plate, 2C, swings. Said actuator, 12, carries a pivot stud, 13, for a driving dog, 14, which is designed to ride over the peripheral notches of the several tumblers, 8,r 9 and 10, as the bolt, 2, swings about its pivot post, 3,-and thus causes the actuator plate, 12, to swing about the post, 6,-such motion being transmitted from'the lug, 2k, to the tail-piece, 12a. As indicated in Figure 3, the full swing of the bolt member, 2, to unlocking position, carries the driving dog, 14, over two or three peripheral notches of each tumbler. As the bolt is returned to its normal position under the stress of its spring, 5, the tumbler disks are rst prevented from rotating by reason of the engagement of the pawl or tooth, 7, in their deep aligned notches. And. although,

a spring, 15, is provided for swinging the actuator plate, 12, and its driving dog, 14, toward their initial positions, these parts are arrested by engagement of said dog, le, in the shallow notches of the disks until the tooth, '7, has completely withdrawn from the deep notches. The disks are then suddenly released and the force of the spring, 15, throws the actuator, 12, toward its initial position so that the dog, 14, drives each of the disks through the full angle of this swing and then releases them, permitting them to continue rotating through a substantial angle, depending upon the friction under which they operate.

As a portion of the usual tumbler mechanism,

.the disks 8, 9 and 10, are spaced apart by xed washers or spacer members, 16, which are anchored by their tail-pieces engaging an upstanding rectangular lug, 17. Similarly, a spacer member, 13, is disposed under the bottom disk, 8, but this spacer is specially formed with a cam edge, 18a, which projects slightly beyond the peripheral outline of the tumbler disks at a position to force the tooth of dog, 111, out of the shallow notches of the tumblers as the actuator, 12, approaches the limit of its driving swing and arrives at its initial position in which it is shown in Figure 1. This relation of the cam surface, 18a, to the driving tooth, 14, is indicated at Figure 2, in which the dotted outline of the tumbler disk, 8, is super-imposed on the part, 18. Thus,vwith the bolt in locking position, the tooth, 14, is held out of the path of rotation of the peripheral parts of the tumbler disks, 8, 9 and 10, so that it shall not interfere with their adjustment by the knob, 11, into unlocking position. The driving dog, 14, is formed with lugs which engage the pivot, 13, and the latter is supported between the plate portion of the actuator, 12, and the offset lug, 12b, connected therewith by a portion, 12C, against which one end of a spring, 14a, reacts for holding the tooth, 14, yieldingly in position to engage the peripheries of the tumblers. The part, 12, of the actuator serves also to receive the stress of the spring arm, 15, in which the driving force for the actuator is stored during the unlocking movement ofthe bolt, 2. y

In the particular form of lock shown, a dial ange, 19, is interlocked with the knob, 11, by means of lugs, 19a, engaging with grooves or flutings in the knob. A suitable index mark or zero point is formed on the overhanging flange, 20a, of the escutcheon plate, 20, which holds the dial captive when the parts are assembled as on a door panel, of which a fragment is indicated at 21 in Figure 5. y eon plate, 20, is secured to the outer face of the door panel, 21, by bolts, 22, which extend through the lugs, 23a, of the lock casing cover, 23. The cover, 23, is formed with an upstandlng collar, 23h, which extends through an aperture in the door panel, 21, and serves to center a flanged spacer disk, 24, whose peripheral flange, 25, is interposed between the face of the panel, 2l, and the overhanging ange, 20, of the escutcheon plate to ensure working clearance for rotation of the dial, 19.

As shown in Figure 9, the lock casing, 1, is mounted on the inner face of the door, 21, and in the particular construction shown, as already explained, the immediate function of the bolt, 1;

2, is to prevent upward movement of a lug, 31, which extends in contact with the face, 2a, of the bolt when the door is locked. This lug is the terminal portion of an arm, 32, attached to a vertically slidable locking bar, 33, carried As seen in Figure 6, the escutchnormas by the door, andhaving horizontally vprojecting portions, .34, which .engagein notches, 35,01 1angularly bent clips, 36, attached to the door jamb or frame member, 37, cfa lockerer like structure. Any suitable handle member may be secured to the arm, 32 as at 3.8, and may be understood as projecting through va slot in the door for access at its outer side. Thus, when the series of tumbler disks, V8, 9 and lo, Aconstituting the combination of the lock, has been proper-ly set by means of the knob, 1l, the, handle at 3S may be lifted to free the projections, 34, from the notches, 35, because the bolt, 2, may then be freely lswung to its unlocking or releasing position illustrated in Figure 3. While the door is being swung open the handle'or nnger piece, 38, is, of course, held in upraised position to ensure release o the projections, 34, from the notches, 35, and with the door in open position the bar, 3S, is upheld at the upper limit of its movement by the engagement of a spring detent, 39, in one of the notches, 40, formed in the edge of the bar, as shown in Figure lo. When the door is again closed the edge, fil, of the clip, 36, forces the detent, 39, out of engagement with the notch, 40, thus permitting the bar, 33, to fall into locking position.

With the fall of the bar, 33, the lug, 31, moves downwardly, thus permitiu'ngthe bolt, 2, to swing back to its locking position under the force of its spring, 5, and-With'this return movement-of the bolt the actuator member, 12, and its driving dog 14, accomplish the .upsetting of the tumbler combination, as already described. vSince this upsetting movement 'is spring-actuated by means oi the spring,'15, and takes place suddenly upon the instant of theV release of the disks by the tooth, 7, it is sui'liciently forceful to ensure a Substantial rotation of the visibleA dial, 19, so that as soon as the door is locked the dial is shifted from its last adjusted position and thus provides no helpfulsuggestion to anyone attempting to tamper withr'the lock, Vor guess at the combination. l

While there `is shown and described herein certain speciic structure embedyingjthe invention, it willfbe manifest to those skilled in the art that various modiiications and rearrangements of the parts may be made without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention, and that the same is not limited to the particular form herein shown and described. except in so far as indicated by the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In a combination lock comprising a plurality of rotary tumbler disks co-axially mounted and each having a notch, a movable locking bolt and a pawl carried positively by the bolt for movement therewith when the notches of the tumblers are adjusted to register with said pavvl for permitting such movement, an actuator mounted to swing about the axis of said disks with a driving member carried thereby for oneway driving engagement with at least one of said disks, together with spring means for urging the actuator in driving direction, and means for transmitting motion from the locking bolt to said actuator in the opposite direction when said bolt moves to unlocking position.

2. In a combination lock comprising a set of circular tumbler disks co-axially arranged and each having a notch, a. movable locking member and a pawl connected thereto for movement with .said member when the notches of the tumblers are adjusted to register with said pawl for permitting such movement; an actuator mounted to swing about the axis ,or said tumblers, at least one of said tumblers having a toothed neripheryl a spring-pressed driving tooth vcarried by the actuator for engagement with said periphery,- means through which the ,movement of the locke. ing bolt operates to cause the actuator to swing in the direction for rotating the tumblers., and

a xed cam positioned -to disengage said driving f tooth from the tumbler in theA final portion of such driving stroke to leave the tumblers free for rotary adjustment independently ot the actuator.

3. In a combination lock comprising ajpl-urali-ty of rotary tumbler disks co-axially mounted and each hav-ing a notch, a movable locking bolt and a pawl connected to the bolt for vmovement therewith Vwhen the notches of the-tumblers are adjusted to register with said pawl for permit-.- ting such movement, an actuator-mounted to swing about the axis of the tumbler disks'vyith a driving member carried by said actuator for one-way driving engagement with at least one of said disks, means by which thermovement oi the locking bolt at some time before thecompletion of its locking movement by completion of the withdrawal of the lpawl Afrom the registered notches of the tumblers ensures the opera-v tion of said actuator for swinging inrdriving direction, and means for transmitting mot-ion from the locking bolt to said actuator in the unlocking movement of the bolt. y

4. In a combination lock comprising alset o f circular tumbler disks co-axially arranged and each having a notch, a movable lockingboltand a pavvl connected thereto for movement with said locking bolt when the notches of the tumblers arev adjusted to register with said paWl for permitting such movement; an actuator mounted to swing about the axis of said tumblers, at least one of said tumblers having a toothed pe` riphery, a, spring-pressed driving tooth carried by the actuator for engagement with saidperiphery, means by which the movement of the lockingY bolt at some time before the completion of its locking movement by the completion of the withdrawal o1" the pawl from the registered notches of the tumbler disks ensures the operation of the actuator for swinging in the direction for rotating a tumbler, and a xed cam positioned to disengage the driving tooth of the actuator from the tumbler in the final portion of said driving stroke, to leave the tumblers free for rotary adjustment independently of the actuator.

5. In a lock comprising a locking bolt, a set of tumbler disks each having a notch and a paWl carried positively by the locking bolt in the locking and unlocking movement of the latter and normally blocking movement of the locking bolt except when the notches of the tumblers are adjusted to register with the pawl for permitting the latter to enter said registered notches; exteriorly operable means including a movable index and a cooperating xed index, the movable index member being connected with the tumbler disks for adjusting them in said registered rela.- tion, an actuator mounted to swing about the axis of said disks and including means for engaging at least one of the tumbler disks for shifting it out of notch-registering position and the movable index out of adjusted position, means responsive to the movement of the locking bolt carrying the paWl into engagement with the registered notches of the tumbler disks for moving said means of the actuator in driving engagement with one of said tumbler disks, and means including a spring conditioned for reaction by the locking bolt by the unlocking movement of the latter, said spring being adapted for reaction on the actuator for tumbler-actuating movement for ensuring shifting of the movable index out of adjusted position.

6. In a combination lock comprising a plurality of rotary tumbler disks co-axially mounted and each having a notch, a movable locking bolt having a Iixed pawl arranged for movement therewith when the notches of the tumblers are adjusted to register with said pawl for permitting such movement, a driving member mounted to swing about the axis of said disks for one-way driving engagement with one of said disks for moving it out of adjusted position, means for transmitting motion from the bolt to the driving member when said bclt is moved in unlocking direction, and spring means tensicned by the bolt as it is moved to unlocking position for urging the driving member in the direction of driving engagement with said disk when said bolt moves to locking position.

7. In a combination lock comprising a pluralit of rotary tumbler disks co-axially mounted and each having a notch, a movable locking bolt having a fixed pawl arranged for movement therewith when the notches of the tumblers are adjusted to register with said pawl for permitting such movement, a driving member mounted to swing about the axis of said disks for one-way driving engagement with one of said disks for moving it out of adjusted position, means for transmitting motion to the driving member when said bolt is moved in unlocking direction, spring means tensioned by the bolt as it is moved to unlocking position for urging the driving member in the direction of driving engagement with said disk when said bolt moves to locking position, and a viixed cam positioned to disengage said driving member from the tumbler in the nal portion of such driving stroke of said member to leave the tumblersfree forl rotary adjustment independently of said member.

8. In a lock comprising a locking bolt, a pawl carried positively by the bolt in the locking and unlocking movements thereof, a set of tumbler disks each having a notch and serving to normally block movement of the locking bolt except when the notches of the tumblers are adjusted to register with the pawl for permitting the latter to enter said notches; exteriorly operable means including a movable index and a cooperating iixed index, the movable index member being connected with the tumbler disks for adjusting them in said registered relation, an actuator mounted to swing about the axis of the disks and including means adapted for engaging one of said tumbler disks for shifting said disk out of notchregistering position, and the movable index out of adjusted position, and means conditioned by the movement of the locking bolt carrying the pawl into engagement with the registered notches of the tumblers adapted to place said actuatorin driving engagement with one of said tumbler disks, and means conditioned in response to movement of the locking bolt before completion of its unlocking movement and adapted upon withdrawal of the pawl from the registered notches for ensuring operation of the actuator or shifting the movable index out of adjusted position.

9. In a combination lock, a plurality of rotary tumbler disks coaxially mounted and each having a notch, a locking bolt pivotally mounted in the casing adjacent the tumbler disks and having a portion limmediately adjacent said tumblers formed to substantially the same contour as the tumblers, a pawl carried positively by the bolt for movement therewith when the notches are adjusted to register with said pawl for permitting such movement, an actuator mounted to swing about the axis of said disks, and a driving member carried thereby for one-way driving engagement with at least one of said disks, together with spring means normally urging the actuator in driving direction, and means for transmitting motion from the locking bolt to said actuator in the opposite direction when said bolt moves to unlocking position.

SAMUEL N. HOPE. PAUL F. DEATH. 

